Fierce competition

2014-08-17 00:00:00

We take a closer look at the North Texas QB battle

By Eric Siner DCTF Contributor

Derek Thompson is unquestionably one of the most successful quarterbacks in UNT football history.

Thompson led the team to its first bowl win in 11 years last season. In that histroric game — a 36-14 victory against UNLV in the Heart of Dallas Bowl — Thompson threw for 256 yards with two touchdowns and earned MVP honors.

Now it’s time to call the next man up.

Thompson will always have a place in UNT football history, but it’s now time for head coach Dan McCarney to find Thompson’s replacement as the season nears.

Here is a breakdown of the top three candidates that could possibly take over in Denton.

Andrew McNulty, Sr. (6-1, 209)

Quick hit: Andrew McNulty is most likely the leading candidate for the starting job as he was Thompson’s backup last season. In McNulty’s first career collegiate start as a true freshman against Tulsa in 2011, he completed 11 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. After redshirting the 2012 season due to injury, McNulty appeared in eight games as a backup last season, with his most notable performance against No. 9 Georgia, where he completed five passes for 36 yards.

McCarney’s Comments: “McNulty has emerged in recent practices and scrimmages as the guy to beat our for that job. He is a student of the game. What you like in your quarterback position is every time you turn around, they are in here at their own time, not when they are asked or forced to. He is one of the best when it comes to that at that position.”

Josh Greer, Jr. (6-5, 220)

Quick hit: Greer has a good opportunity to make his debut with UNT this season. Greer was a first-team All-District 4-5A quarterback for Arlington High in 2011, where he recorded 2,691 passing yards with 24 touchdowns. He set a school record for passing yards in a single game with 448 yards. Greer signed with UAB out of high school but transferred to Navarro JC, where he threw for 1,205 yards with eight touchdowns in six games during the 2013 season. In his final game, Greer led Navarro to a 56-45 victory against Trinity Valley, where he threw for 253 yards and a touchdown.

McCarney’s Comments: “Greer continues to work with the first team offense and has separated himself along with McNulty in the quarterback race. He’s doing a pretty good job of leading, and it’s pretty safe to say he is one of the two players that will start against Texas.”

Dajon Williams, Rs Fr., (6-3, 202)

Quick hit: Williams is also a candidate for the job as he seeks opportunity as the school’s starting quarterback. The dual-threat quarterback was a star at Pflugerville Connally, where he passed for 1,618 yards and 15 touchdowns and picked up 506 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns during his 2012 campaign. He was named as one of our top 300 recruits in our summer edition that year. Connor Means is also listed in contention for the job, but it seems unlikely that either of these two freshmen will wrestle away the starting gig from the vets.

McCarney’s Comments: “Dajon has definitely improved from what we saw in the spring, but right now McNulty and Greer have the advantage because that is where they were coming out of spring ball. They have a little better grasp of everything right now.”

Prediction: The competition is tight between the two vets, but McNulty seems like the safe pick to start when the Mean Green open up against Texas.

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